BLOWS UP Synonyms: 116 Similar and Opposite Words

blows up

verb

present tense third-person singular of blow up

as in has a fit

to become very angry she blew up at everybody after a very long and very bad day

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as in explodes

to break open or into pieces usually because of internal pressure the building blew up because of a gas leak

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as in shatters

to cause to break open or into pieces by or as if by an explosive blew up the biggest rocks and then cleared them away

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as in cracks up

to praise or publicize lavishly and often excessively the advertisement blows the new soda up to the point where I half expected to be transported to a higher level of consciousness

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of blows up John gets the upper hand and nearly takes the ring, before one of Zoe’s satellite weapons blows up half the motel, forcing Hal to use what little charge is left in the ring to protect himself and John. — Joe Otterson, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 The person who blows up at a subordinate under stress has usually been subtly condescending in one-on-ones for months. — Mary Crossan, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 Frequent zoom-ins shown on screens showed sweat dripping down his face, and his hair resembled something similar to a mad scientist after an experiment blows up in their face. — Joseph Hernandez august 13, Kansas City Star, 13 Aug. 2026 Friday’s announcement blows up Paramount’s original plan to take control of Warner by the end of September. — Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 24 July 2026 Sharma’s unenviable job is to trim the fat before this whole thing blows up. — Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 6 July 2026 Walter recommends that budding creators parse through their analytics when a video blows up—and warns not to pop the champagne too fast. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 11 May 2026 As one pipe blows up under their feet, two mercs go motionless and begin to drift away into the void. — Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 27 Apr. 2026 Think about movements that happen when a person blows up a balloon. — Matt Parrott, Arkansas Online, 26 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blows up

Verb

Day to day, as the city grows, there’s also the question of traffic, which snarls the city as public transit initiatives have repeatedly struggled.

— Jacqui Palumbo, CNN Money, 21 July 2026
Security snarls The TSA PreCheck line at terminal B in LaGuardia Airport in East Elmhurst, Queens, New York City, on March 27, 2026.

— Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 28 Mar. 2026

Definition of snarls

Verb

Directed by Venice prize-winner John Swab, Copperhead‘s plot is thrust into motion when an undercover drug deal explodes into violence.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 8 Sep. 2026
That explodes into action in one startlingly seedy scene involving a rape in full view of revelers at a hotel party.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of explodes

Verb

But then Anton brings up the idea of Talia and Brooke using him as their sperm donor and Talia fully cracks up.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 28 Aug. 2026
During one particularly fun moment shared by the LPGA Tour on Instagram, Clark cracks up at Cunningham's energetic approach to the sport — which ended in her accidentally hitting a fan with the ball.

— Natasha Dye, PEOPLE, 13 Nov. 2025

Definition of cracks up

Verb

The receptionist angers Kripke and Bert so much that they are picked up by the police — along with Stuart, who had also been arrested.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 31 July 2026
According to the myth, Agamemnon angers the goddess Artemis by killing one of her sacred deer.

— Britt Hayes, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026

Definition of angers

Verb

Then Chernov detonates an atomic bomb over the Black Sea as a show of force.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 9 Sep. 2026
If the ammunition detonates after penetration, the explosion is directed away from the crew compartment, significantly improving the crew’s chances of survival.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 30 June 2026

Definition of detonates

Verb

The inflation print comes before the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee announces its latest policy update on Thursday.

— Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026
Tennis great Roger Federer announces his retirement from pro tennis at 41 with 20 grand slam wins and 103 ATP titles.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026